After two seasons of injury, there seems to be a lot people in Chicago that want to wrap Derrick Rose in bubble wrap until the season. Maybe until the playoffs. Just pack him away and keep him safe. (There’s also a group very down on Rose, but those people are too foolish to waste time on.)

But the only way Rose returns to anything near his MVP form is to get out and play.

Which is why Team USA always seemed a great setting to me — a high level of competition but with the talent around him (even after high profile injuries and defections) so the pressure to carry everyone is gone.

“This is the perfect setting for him,” enthused Thibodeau. “I thought his first (USA team) experience in 2010 was the springboard to his MVP season. All summer long he’s gotten more comfortable. He went through the comeback last year and I think he learned a lot from it. I love the way he’s playing. He’s finding the rhythm of game and playing to his strengths and recognizing who’s on the floor with him and what their strengths are. He made several good plays, particularly against the zone in the fourth quarter. He’s shaking some rust off, but his explosiveness is back. He’s playing well on both sides of the ball. I think he’s in a really good place. It’s unfortunate what he’s gone through. But I think that adversity has made him a lot stronger. It was really seeds of growth for him. I love where he is mentally and physically right now.

“It’s something he really wanted to do,” Thibodeau said of the USA experience for Rose. “It’s a chance for him to measure where he really is. He’s not carrying the burden of the entire team. For Derrick, there are so many positives. I think this will be great preparation for the season. We have a baseline and we know there’s a long way up. His attitude and approach are terrific and I think that will serve him well. I’m very pleased where he is now.”

Thibs should be pleased, Rose has been a standout from when camp opened.

Nobody knew where he was physically or mentally, but he has looked great, with Coach Mike Mike Krzyzewski being the lead cheerleader (and moving Rose into the starting lineup).

What’s been most impressive is a more mature game from Rose, he’s not just relying on that explosiveness he’s beating teams with his mind. Put him on the court with a high IQ, great passing bigs like Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol, and you have the makings of a very good offense.

The Cavaliers are landing Kevin Love and may be the betting favorite to win the East, but the Bulls are going to be right there with them.

What’s up with all of the D. Rose articles? All this hype, just for him to inevitably break down throughout the season. I’m not hating on him, it just seems like he’s destined for the Brandon Roy fate.